


Through the Valley

by Tashilover



Series: Linked Universe [16]
Category: Linked Universe - Fandom, The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
Genre: Angst, Linked Universe, Lots of Angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-04
Updated: 2020-11-19
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:35:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,373
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24533179
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tashilover/pseuds/Tashilover
Summary: His body was still warm.A Linked Universe fic.
Series: Linked Universe [16]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1258721
Comments: 40
Kudos: 401





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Warning: mild body horror/gore, blood
> 
> Based off of: https://linkeduniverse.tumblr.com/

His body was still warm.

For a long moment Twilight just held him close to his chest, resting Wild's head against his shoulder. He's held the kid like this before, during times when he was sick or when he woke him up from a particularly bad dream. If Twilight closed his own eyes he could pretend that's all this was: just a bad dream.

Except Wild's chest did not move. He did not twitch or fidget as he was prone to do. He was still.

From behind he could hear his companions coming close, their boots crunching through the leaves of the forest. They stopped and there was silence for a few seconds.

"Twi-" Time started.

"We need to clean him," said Twilight. "He needs to be... he needs to look..."

There was blood on Wild's face. Blood on his hands. It was thick in his hair and it had hardened like mud. His once lovely bright blue tunic was stained beyond repair.

"Unsullied." Twilight finished.

He heard more shuffling. Sky came into view, kneeling down in front of him.

"I can help," he said.

Between them both they carefully stripped Wild of his clothes. They pulled off his boots. Slid his ruined tunic over his head and placed it aside. They undid his belt and removed his trousers. The only thing they left on were his undergarments. Funny, the kid never had any problem with nudity. He would sometimes walk around camp stark naked, forcing Twilight to chase him down and demand he'd _put on some goddamn pants!_

Once done, Twilight lifted Wild up into his arms. He grimaced by how light the kid was. Wild had a great appetite and he was physically strong. He shouldn't be this light. Wordlessly Twilight wadded into the river bank. Cool water spilled into his boots. Once he was nearly hip deep, he kneeled, gently lowering Wild into the water. There, he began to wash.

He scrapped off the dried blood on Wild's face. He ran his fingers through his hair until the strands untangled. His hand drifted downwards to Wild's chest, and for a second a scream nearly erupted up into his throat.

The gaping hole where his heart should be was nothing more than an perverted window of Wild's insides. It was such a perfect round hole, it almost looked fake. If he wanted, Twilight could stick his entire fist through it. The thought had Twilight trembling and he had to pause to keep from gagging.

Twilight swallowed, then continued running water over Wild's chest until the blood washed away.

They dressed him in clean clothes. Laid him out on the ground, his arms crossed his chest.

"We're at least a week away from the nearest town," Legend said to the group. "We need to make a decision."

"For what?" Wind asked.

"If we should try to bring Wild with us or... bury him here."

Sky immediately protested. "We can't bury him here! He needs a proper funeral, he needs a Hero's sendoff, he... his _princess_ has the right to say goodbye!"

"He won't last," Legend said. "In a week, in this heat? Is _that_ what we want to present to his princess?"

"Would you rather we present her with _nothing?_ "

Twilight tuned them out as he looked across the water. Goddess, it was a beautiful day. On a day like this Twilight would love nothing more than to take Epona out on a long ride, enjoying the bright sunlight and gentle breeze. On the other side of the river bank, a small family of boars was taking a well deserved drink. Little piglets ran around their mother's legs, jumping and squealing happily.

"We should bury him here," Twilight said loudly, cutting the conversation off. "He... would love it here. This was his element."

"In the middle of nowhere?" Sky said.

Twilight frowned and turned to Hyrule. "You are our traveling Hero. You and Wild understood each other. What do you suggest?"

Hyrule's eyes grew wide and his cheeks went crimson at the sudden attention. He sobered quickly, contemplating the question for a few quiet seconds. He said, "This area... is full of greenery. Of life. It's beautiful out here. I think... I think he would've loved it."

Twilight nodded. "I agree."

That decision made, they laid out an area and began to dig. Two at a time, swapping out when one got tired. Twilight at first refused to switch, digging until his hands started to bleed. Time had to forcefully take the shovel away. When Twilight protested, Time said, "You're not helping him by hurting yourself."

It took them less than two hours to get to six feet.

For the final time, they brushed Wild's hair and braided it. Four offered one of his specialty swords so Wild could be buried with a weapon. With that, Twilight carried his protege into the ground. He placed the sword on Wild's chest and rearranged his hands to grip it. Twilight pulled out a handkerchief and made movements to drape it over Wild's face when he suddenly stopped.

He shook, his grip on the handkerchief tightening, threatening to tear it in half.

_-this could not be the last time he would look upon Wild's face. It was not. He always knew the day would come they would have to part and go back to their own worlds, but not like this. It wasn't fair-_

Twilight reached out, cupping a hand over Wild's cheek.

_-he was still warm-_

He pulled back. Draped the handkerchief over Wild's face. Once done, he climbed out, and took his place next to the others.

Sky spoke. "Does anybody have anything to say?"

Nobody wanted to go first.

"I do," said Time. "He was a good kid. You can always tell a person's heart from the way they treat animals. His ability to calm horses them with a simple pat or gentle word was incredible. That's rare in a person. He was sweet and kind and way too good for this world."

The others nodded in agreement. They started smiling sadly at each other, now knowing what they wanted to say.

Legend said, "He was always curious. He'd look at something and go _hey, let's check that out!_ He always wanted to see what was beyond that hill, beyond that tree, beyond that bush. He kept pushing me to explore, to not be afraid cause it wasn't on my map. I admired him for that."

"I'm going to miss him," said Hyrule. "My partner in crime. My god, the things we got lost in, the dungeons we conquered. And even when we did something stupid like trigger a trap or lose a key, we kept laughing every step of the way."

"I found him so immensely frustrating," said Four. "I would give him a sword and he would break it within a day. So I kept making him new weapons, trying to figure him out, pushing myself to make the best sword I could. It took me a while to realize he was exactly the challenge I needed. He made me do better and I will always thank him for that."

Wind said, "I think... he was an older brother. I never confirmed that and I wonder if he even knew but... he would indulge me whenever I'd ask him silly questions or get him to show me his shooting abilities again and again. He had the patience only an older sibling would have. It made me want to talk to him more, even when he didn't agree with me on certain things. I will miss our talks."

"It was an honor to know him," said Warriors. "I've met a lot of soldiers in my life and war changes a person. It makes them dread the next day, the next meal, the next challenge. And yet he woke up each and every morning hungry and eager for a new adventure. We weren't the closest in the group but... he _always_ had my respect."

Sky pulled out the Master Sword. He held it out over Wild's body.

"Being a Hero isn't easy," he said. "You have to give up a lot of things. Your time, your health, sometimes even your family. It's enough to break a person. For the longest time, Wild did not know he was a Chosen Hero. He didn't do the right thing because someone asked him to or because he thought he would get something out of it. He did it because he was a good person. That's it." He pulled the sword back. "I can see why Hylia chose him. I would have too."

Everyone turned towards Twilight.

He stood like a statue, his hands clasped in front of him, his head bowed as if in prayer. He was still. When the moment stretched and no words came, Sky placed a hand on his shoulder.

"It's time to say goodbye," Sky said.

Twilight raised his head. "No..." he said. And then in a louder tone, said, "No. No! This is fucking _bullshit!_ "

He shrugged off Sky's hand, his face twisting in rage. The dam broke and everything came rushing out. "This isn't right! He was seventeen! Seven- _fucking_ -teen! He didn't get a chance to do _anything!_ He never kissed a girl, never had his first beer- last week I was teasing him because he couldn't even grow _facial hair_ yet! He went through so much and _this_ is how it ends for him? This? Was this always his destiny? To be forgotten in _two_ different centuries? What shit is that? It's not fair!"

He put his face in his hands. He sobbed.

"It's too cruel..."

They packed up their belongings. Refilled their water pouches. Once ready they turned towards the mountains. The goal was to be at the edge before nightfall. In silence they left the campsite, the only noise to be heard were their boots on gravel.

Twilight holstered the Sheikah Slate to his belt. He gave the filled dirt mound one last look.

"Goodbye, my friend."

He then left to join the others.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> who knows when the next update on any of my LU fics will come since YOU KNOW comes out tomorrow~

The flames of the fire pit danced across Twilight's face, illuminating the dark bags under his eyes. He leaned heavily against his knees, his shoulders slumped impossibly low. He barely blinked. There were no thoughts in his head. The passage of time drifted slowly around him, turning every second into an hour, every hour into a day. The few short moments when conscious thought came to him, he would stare at his hands and mentally tell himself he should get up and do something. His mind would drift away again, leaving him an empty shell.

A hand touched his shoulder, breaking him out of his mental prison. Time walked into view and took a seat next to him on the fallen log in front of the fire. "You didn't wake me."

"Not your turn yet," Twilight said, though truthfully he wasn't keeping track. "You should go back to sleep."

"And what about you? When's the last time you slept?"

"Mmm' fine..."

"No, you're not. It's been three days. You look exhausted. Even laying down unmoving will do wonders. C'mon Cub. Let's get you to bed."

At the affectionate nickname Twilight's mouth twisted. It was the same endearment he used to say to Wild.

"Did..." Twilight said slowly. "Did you know... he was afraid of the dark?"

Time frowned. "No. I didn't."

"He didn't want anyone else to know. He was embarrassed. A Hero of the Goddess afraid of the dark? You know the others would've teased him mercilessly for it. I don't know if that was always a fear he's had or something brought on by the shrine. He'd wake up, gasping for air, confused and scrambling for purchase. If a fire wasn't going, he'd panic, thinking he was back in the shrine. On nights when we couldn't have a fire, I'd sleep next to him as a wolf. If he woke to darkness, he'd reached out and cling to me like a child, trembling into my fur. He would apologize as he did so, muttering _I'm sorry, I'm sorry_ again and again. Even when his fists would pull entire swaths of fur out of my back, I endured it, letting him know he was safe where he was."

Tears welled up. Twilight forced them back. His eyes itched and burned already and any more tears would have him biting his knuckles.

"I know it was my suggestion..." Twilight continued. "But the more I think about it, we should've brought him along. Instead we buried him in a _fucking hole,_ in the dark-"

He gasped when Time suddenly moved in front of him, grasping him by his face.

"Stop," Time said. "All you're doing is hurting yourself. You can't change what happened _."_

_"Then why does my soul hurt so much?"_

"Because you're exhausted, and when your body burns, everything else amplifies a thousand fold. When's the last time you ate? When's the last time you had any water?"

"I..." Twilight swallowed thickly, unable to speak due to how dry his mouth was, how his throat was like sand.

Time pulled away and grabbed a nearby flask. He passed it over to Twilight, guiding the spout up to Twilight's mouth.

"Drink," Time said.

Twilight did, his eyes fluttering closed as cool, refreshing water spilled upon his lips. He had no idea how parched he was until that moment. He drank greedily, only stopping to gasp for air, then continued drinking until the flask was nearly empty.

"Good man," said Time as he put the flask down. "Now, get to bed. Even if you can't sleep, keep your eyes closed. Your body will do the rest."

Time kept his hand on Twilight's shoulder and steered him towards his tent. Twilight wearily crawled into his tent. Once he was fully in, his body gave out and he flopped heavily to the floor, groaning as he did so. He blindly groped for his pillow, found it, and dragged it close, burying his face into it.

Time took off his boots for him. He tapped his feet, and Twilight tucked his legs in.

"Don't come out till morning," said Time. "Rest now and dream of nothing."


End file.
